Which child gets the higher subsidy?

Services Australia works out which children get the higher subsidy by:

• assessing all children in the family unit
• identifying the standard rate child, and
• identifying the higher rate children.

The standard rate child will get the standard CCS subsidy. Younger children will get a higher subsidy. The standard rate child is usually the eldest CCS eligible child aged 5 or under in the family unit. All CCS-eligible children are counted in a family unit when determining the eldest eligible child.

How does the measure apply to combined families?

The measure will capture diverse family circumstances, including combined families where both parents are CCS-eligible for different children. The Child Care Subsidy System is not able to recognise these combined families until July 2022. Services Australia will back pay the higher subsidy amount to affected families for the period March to July 2022. Families concerned about this can discuss their situation with Services Australia who may be able to provide an alternative solution.

Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)

Children who are entitled to both the higher CCS rate and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) will be paid the ACCS rate for example in cases of temporary financial hardship.

Recent Child Care Subsidy (CCS) changes

Your family’s combined income will calculate the CCS percentage you’re entitled to. Remember you will need to advise Centrelink when your combined income increases or decreases.

CCS Annual Cap Removal

On 10 December 2021 the Federal Government removed the Child Care Subsidy annual cap for all CCS eligible families.

Combined Family Income Eligibility Changes

BCCC families may now be CCS eligible if they:

• earn less than $354,305
• have more than one child aged 5 or under in child care.

CCS Rates for Families with more than one child in care

From 7 March 2022, families with children aged five or under in care now get a higher BCCC subsidy for their second child and younger children.

How much will younger children get?

Eligible higher rate children will receive a 30% higher subsidy, up to a maximum 95%. Families will receive their income tested CCS rate for all children. Children eligible for the higher CCS rate will have the increase automatically included in their CCS percentage reported to services.

From 7 March 2022, children who haven’t attended care for 26 consecutive weeks will not be eligible for Child Care Subsidy but families can re-enroll if care is required. The standard rate child is usually the eldest CCS-eligible child aged 5 of under in the family unit. They get the standard CCS subsidy. Younger children will get the higher subsidy. Families should contact Services Australia if their circumstances change, especially if their standard rate child is no longer using child care.

What is a CCS fortnight?

A CCS fortnight is a two-week period that starts every second Monday. The first CCS fortnight for the 2021–22 financial year started on Monday 12 July 2021. Generally, Services Australia calculate CCS at the start of a CCS fortnight. This amount continues for the whole fortnight regardless of any change of circumstance.

What do families need to do?

Families already getting CCS don’t need to do anything. Services Australia will automatically increase the CCS for eligible second and younger children. Families were eligible for the higher rate from 7 March 2022.

What counts as activity

Under the new system, you will only be able to access the Child Care Subsidy if you are doing suitable activity and the amount of activity will then determine how many hours of child of Childcare Subsidy you are eligible for.

Activity counts as:

• Paid work (Including unpaid breaks)
• Commute time from childcare centre to work (excludes time travelling from home to childcare centre and vice versa)
• Authorised leave (eg maternity leave,long service leave, anuual leave etc)
• Unpaid leave of up to 6 months
• Unpaid work in a family business
• Setting up a new business
• Study
• Training and study (includes semester breaks)
• Work experience / internships (whether paid or not)
• Volunteering
• Looking for work (eg internet research, contacting employers ,preparing resumes/letters of application , preparing for and attending job interviews, travel time for interviews)

Concerned you won’t have enough activity?

There may be some families that lose the level of childcare funding support they have become used to as a result of the activity test. However, please note:

• Activity is based on the family’s estimate over a thirteen week period
• For casual/contract/itinerant workers whose hours may vary from week to week, you should pick the week with the highest level of activity in thirteen week period and use that as your level of activity
• You can go onto myGov and change your activity level at any time
• While you do not have to verify your activity, the Government has said that it will look to audit about 10% of families each year to seek some form of verification that the activity is valid
• Families earning less than $64,710 are exempt from activity tests for up to 24 hours care per fortnight.

To help families increase their hours of activity, families can volunteer at our centre — see us for more details.